Folding knives enjoy wide popularity, particularly among sportsmen, campers, hikers, and many others engaged in outdoor activities. Common elements to folding knives include a handle and a blade pivotally connected to an end of the handle so that the blade pivots with respect to the handle between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle, and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle. Many folding knives also include a blade-assisting mechanism that urges the blade towards the open position and/or the closed position.
Examples of folding knives, including folding knives with blade-assisting mechanisms, may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 551,052; 552,928; 557,760; 600,442; 1,315,503; 1,319,532; 1,412,373; 1,440,793; 1,603,914; 1,701,027; 1,743,022; 1,864,011; 2,736,959; 5,293,690; 5,815,927; 5,822,866; 5,802,722; 5,819,414; 6,145,202; 6,308,420; 6,338,431; 6,378,214; 6,397,477; 6,651,344; and 6,732,436; and U.S. Patent Aapplication Nos. 2003/0070299; 2004/0020058; and 2004/0158991, the entire disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.